Almost a year after the Municipal Corporation initiated a pilot project by constructing rumble strips on roads leading to the roundabout of sectors 19, 20, 27 and 30, the civic body has flattened the strips and instead made speed breakers.

This comes after the Chandigarh Police submitted a report to the MC as problems were being faced by residents at the stretch. The pilot project was initiated to provide right of way to non-motorised vehicles.

Saying that the results of the experiment were not satisfactory, Chief Engineer S S Bida told Newsline, “The residents were complaining about the strips. Many complaints were received by us. So now the strips have been changed into speed breakers.”

The rumble strips were filled up, making a small replica of what now exits at the GMCH-32 roundabout. “The experiment at GMCH-32 roundabout is quiet successful. So, we have started a similar experiment at the sectors 19, 20, 27 and 30 roundabout to check if the same can work on inner roads,” said Bida.

Some complaints were received by the police about the problems the rumble strips were causing. On the basis of these complaints, the Chandigarh Police submitted a report to the MC.

One of the complaints from Sector 27 read: “The residents cannot sleep at night as the vehicles which pass on the rumble strips make a loud sound. So, it is requested that the rumble strips be removed.”

Another complaint pointed out that the rumble strips on the exit of the roundabout of sectors 19/27/20/30 were a public nuisance, especially in the peak hours.

The third complaint read, “It is suggested that more signboards must be installed at least 50 metres before the strips so that the drivers are alerted while driving on the road.”

The rumble strips were essentially constructed to aid cyclists and rickshaw-pullers in crossing the roads.

However, a Home Guard on duty at the roundabout said, “The cyclists and rickshaw-pullers were also not using the track meant for them.”